La vida de la gente del campo en la ciudad durante la dinastía Song

Capítulo 14

Seeing Zimo's expression change slightly, I had a sudden thought. I looked up and saw that Feng Yuenan's face was not very good. I quickly took a deep breath and said calmly, "In my opinion, Xiangxi is the main place for supplying food and soldiers to our western border. It is located in a strategic military location and has more than ten million people in the city. Therefore, this flood must not be dealt with lightly."

I paused briefly to listen to Zimo's follow-up message. In those few seconds of breathing space, not only the Emperor but also the other ministers showed expressions of agreement and nodded in unison.

I continued, "But if the court simply allocates grain and money, it will be far from enough. It can only solve their immediate problem. Moreover, the national treasury is empty at the moment. If we do this, we will inevitably lose sight of the bigger picture."

"In our continent of Ishu, the reverence for the goddess Ishuel is absolutely not to be taken lightly or desecrated, so the temple's repair work cannot be stopped. However, in recent years, Fengyin and Huoling have been eyeing our borders covetously. Others may not know this, but the Ministers of Revenue and War should be very clear about it. General Lü and his troops are putting up a very difficult fight."

After analyzing the above statements, I found them to be utter nonsense, utterly worthless. Yet, in such a short passage, the achievements of both civil and military officials were praised to the point that the ministers on both sides of the hall looked at me with gratitude.

I sighed inwardly, looked at the Emperor who was full of hope, and continued, "Therefore, I believe that the key to saving the Xiangxi floods lies not in material resources, but in human resources."

As instructed, I turned to Lü Shaojun, bowed, and said, "General Lü, I have a request. May I ask if you may lend me some of your soldiers who are currently not on military duty in the Xiangxi area or are on leave at home?"

Lu Shaojun looked surprised and quickly returned the greeting, saying, "Prime Minister Qin, please don't be so formal. Since you have come up with such a perfect solution, how could I possibly object? Everything is as you say, Prime Minister Qin."

I nodded with a smile, and after listening for a while, a bitter smile appeared on my face: "What perfect solution? General Lü has overestimated me. Not to mention the soldiers' hardship and manpower losses, the food and pay, although not the key, are absolutely indispensable."

"Your Majesty!" I turned and knelt down, sincerely saying, "Your Majesty, I am willing to offer a year's salary. Although it is only a drop in the ocean, I hope it can contribute to the country. If Your Majesty and all the officials are willing, I also hope that you can help alleviate the urgent needs of the people of Xiangxi and accumulate good karma for generations to come. At the same time, I will also order people to raise funds in various parts of the city, hoping that everyone in the capital will understand the suffering of the people of Xiangxi, and that those who are able will donate to help."

"Brilliant!" Yang Yi slammed his hand on the table and stood up, ignoring the displeased expressions of the princes and others. He laughed loudly, "This plan is excellent. I am also willing to donate one million taels of gold. Lin Yu, you will be in full charge of this matter from now on."

"Yes, Your Majesty!" I straightened up, smiled gently at the ministers, and then said to the Minister of Revenue, "Lord Liu, I will trouble you to register the donations of each official after the court ceremony. His Majesty will naturally witness your meritorious deeds."

Liu Huazong, the Minister of Revenue, had been worrying about raising money every day for the past few days. Now that I had solved his problem and taken the blame for him, he was naturally all smiles: "I will obey the Prime Minister's order."

From then on, there was nothing else to report, and even those ministers about to suffer heavy losses probably lost their appetite. Then, the master of ceremonies announced in a shrill voice, "The court ceremony is now adjourned. Court dismissed!"

I let out a long sigh of relief, then suddenly looked up and saw Zi Mo's solemn yet smiling face, and I was startled. His expression was so spirited, his eyes so full of fighting spirit; he was enjoying this strange feeling of being the center of attention and feeling threatened!

"Zimo!" I suddenly felt an urge to call his name in my heart. He snapped back to reality, looking at my gentle smile with surprise. I brushed the stray hairs from my forehead and thought, "I will definitely fulfill your dream. Please believe me!"

A complex glint flashed in Zi Mo's translucent brown pupils, then he abruptly lowered his eyelids. For a moment, I almost doubted whether I was seeing things; there was a faint hint of guilt in Zi Mo's eyes. However, it was replaced by a gentle smile in an instant, and I couldn't help but wonder if I was seeing things again.

"Silly girl!" Zi Mo gently stroked my hair in mid-air and said with a warm smile, "Of course I believe you."

Yi Han walked up to me and said calmly, "Young Master, it's time to go to the council hall. General Lü will be discussing the deployment of troops with you later."

I nodded hurriedly and walked out of Tenglong Hall with Yihan.

Xiao Yi

2007.8.16 19:13

Chapter 9, Pilgrimage and State Affairs, is complete.

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Chapter 10: A Comprehensive Discussion of the World

Chapter 10: A Comprehensive Discussion of the World

I walked with my head down toward the direction of Feiyuan, occasionally covering my mouth with my hand to yawn. Suddenly, a blue light flashed before my eyes, and Yihan was already blocking my way.

I stared at his indifferent, handsome face, still shaken, and thought to myself: How come this guy is faster than Zi Mo, that ghost?

Yi Han put one hand behind his back and bowed slightly, saying, "Young Master, the carriage is already waiting outside the palace gate. We are returning to Chiyu Tower today."

"Chiyu Tower?" I asked in surprise. "What kind of place is that?"

Yi Han looked up at me, a dark green light flashing in his pure black eyes, and said calmly, "It's not surprising that you don't remember the past. Chi Yu Lou is a mansion bestowed upon you by the Emperor, and it is also your true property. The Luo Fei Garden where you have been staying these past few days was converted by the Emperor from the original Gan Lin Palace study, so that you would have a place to rest after working too hard in the palace."

"Oh!" I see. I clicked my tongue in amazement and followed Yi Han southwestward, thinking to myself: This Lin Yu is truly magnificent! The emperor's trust in her goes beyond mere trust; it's bordering on blind dependence. But, with such immense power, is it really alright?

We easily exited the palace gates and hopped into a rather simple carriage. The carriage was small, seating at most three people. Yi Han explained that since his family had only brought one carriage and had already taken Yun Yan and the others back, he had no choice but to make do with this rented one.

Yihan and I sat in the cramped space. He remained silent with a cold expression, and I didn't know what to say either. I looked up at Zimo, who was sitting cross-legged in the air with his eyes closed, seemingly lost in thought or asleep.

Ugh! This atmosphere is so awkward!

The carriage suddenly lurched, and I, lost in thought, lost my grip and stumbled forward with a whoosh.

A chilling aura enveloped me instantly, and a pair of hands rested on my arms. A voice, indifferent yet tinged with concern, reached my ears: "Young Master, are you alright?"

"N-nothing...it's nothing." Still shaken, I reached back and grabbed his arm to straighten up. He let go, and I was about to get up when the carriage jolted violently again. My grip on his sleeve slipped, and I fell back against him.

Almost reflexively, Yi Han grabbed me and caught me. My head hit his chest, which felt like a metal plate, making me wince in pain. Suddenly, the atmosphere in the carriage became strange, and we both remained motionless in that position.

Yi Han's hand, because I had grabbed it from behind, could no longer hold my arm; it could only support my waist. However, in the chaos, his hand rose a little higher, hovering stiffly on the edge of ambiguity.

Although I was wearing a tight-fitting, arrow-proof gold-embroidered vest that was warm in winter and cool in summer, I still broke out in goosebumps all over my body. My face was still buried in his chest, and I was as ripe as a tomato, unable to make a single movement for a long time.

"Are you going to stay in this position until you get home?" Zi Mo's teasing voice came from above.

I woke up with a start, and before I could get up, Yi Han had already let go of my hand, put his arm around my waist and half-lifted me up. Just as he was about to speak, who knew... who knew that carriage! Damn it, who rented this carriage that has no balance at all?

I had just straightened up and hadn't even stood up properly when the carriage lurched violently toward Yihan. Yihan, who was still half-crouched, remained perfectly still, but I screamed and fell toward him.

A hint of panic finally flashed in Yi Han's pure black eyes. He reached out to support me, but the force of the impact pulled me into a tight embrace.

"Huff—" We were both half-lying on the seats, with Yihan pinned down by me, panting heavily, still shaken.

In the jolting carriage, only our panting could be heard. The hand around my waist went from cold to warm, from loose to tight. I opened my eyes and met those dark green, gleaming eyes. Surprise, bewilderment, and a variety of complex emotions flashed through them.

My lips were pressed against something cool, trembling slightly, a sticky, tingling sensation. I couldn't help but stick out my tongue to relieve the tingling feeling, but I never expected to lick... the corner of his lips.

Yi Han suddenly straightened up, pulling me close, then abruptly released me, bowing his head and saying, "Your subordinate... Your subordinate will go outside to drive the horses!"

Before I could stop him, a figure flashed by, lifted the curtain, and leaped outside.